THE NUMBER of reported rapes in Greater Manchester continue to rise according to the independent HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) figures released this week.
Reported cases have risen from 1,092 incidents in 2014/15 to 1,239 in 2015/16, an increase of 13.6 percent.
Specifically, the number of reported child rape cases has increased 17 per cent from 631 in 2014/15 to 741 in 2015/16.
High profile cases such as Jimmy Saville and ‘Operation Yewtree’ could be held responsible for this according to the HMIC report, due to an increase in victims coming forward after these high profile cases demonstrated these cases will be taken seriously and will not be dismissed.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) referred a total of 518 reported cases to Crown Court in 2015/16 with 279 – over half of referred cases resulting in suspects being charged.
This is an increase from 488 referred cases in 2014/15 with 267 charged.
Detective Chief Inspector Colin Larkin of GMP’s Public Protection Division said: “Nationally there has been an increase in the number of recorded crimes of rape, and the rise in Greater Manchester can be attributed to the increase in public confidence of the police to investigate and changes to the way GMP record such crimes.”
GMP have an ongoing working relationship with St Marys Sexual Assault Referral Centre, and Rape Crisis who provide support to victims of sexual offences.
Colin Larkin also said: “Victim care is at the heart of everything we do and anybody who comes forward receives a response and is offered support from specially-trained police officers.
“There are positives to be taken from this report. GMP is above the national average and has one of the highest charge rates for rape in the country and another being that the number of rape convictions in Greater Manchester has risen in the past year.
“Victim care is at the heart of everything we do and anybody who comes forward receives a response and is offered support.”
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